The Cooperage Lafayette
Don’t worry folks, after nearly 10 years in Lafayette, the good people at charming American grill The Cooperage are taking their expired lease in stride and moving the whole operation to downtown Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza. The Coop in Lafayette closed after service Oct. 9, and, according to its Instagram, it will reopen at its new location Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. To recap: The Lafayette location has closed; look for the new Coop at 1342 Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. The Cooperage Lafayette was at 32 Lafayette Circle in Lafayette.
Magnolia Street Wine Lounge
Devotees of chef Leilani Baugh’s glamorous brunches and suppers filled with wine, art, soulful cooking and music have until the end of October to visit her restaurant before she closes the doors. “We made our mark,” she said in her farewell announcement. “And for that I am completely thankful and joyous.” In an all-too common theme for 2023, though Baugh weathered the pandemic, the West Oakland native who opened a few blocks away from her childhood home could not sustain the restaurant after plummeting numbers due to recent crime. She told CBS Bay Area that her sales this year were about a third of what they used to be, she believes because of current fears around dining out, not just in her restaurant’s neighborhood but across many areas of Oakland. “I’m sad overall,” she told the news outlet. “Not necessarily for my business, I’m sad about that, too. But I’m mostly sad for Oakland. For what it was, what it is, and what it could be.” Baugh will continue to cater (including the holidays) and host events, and can be reached via her website. Magnolia Street Wine Lounge is at 3443 San Pablo Ave. in Oakland, and will close on Oct. 29.
Off The Grid Alameda South Shore Center
Per a reader request (thank you!), we checked in with Off The Grid regarding the status of their popular weekly food truck gathering at Alameda’s South Shore Center, which has been in regular operation (minus pandemic hiccups) for an impressive 11 years. Reps replied that yes, that location ceased its events as of Sept. 9, though no reason was given. The group is now actively seeking a new host space in Alameda. We’ll keep you posted. Off The Grid Alameda South Shore Center was at 535 South Shore Center in Alameda.
Palmetto/The Kon-Tiki Room
“We really did our best and we love this town,” said the closing announcement for Oakland’s modern-tropical restaurant Palmetto and its adjacent bar and lounge The Kon-Tiki Room. “But we can’t make it. We might talk about why later, but for now, get in here while the getting is good!” For now, let’s talk about how co-owners Christ Aivaliotis and Matt Reagan really did do their best. The duo plotted Palmetto’s opening in the former Flora just before the pandemic hit and put everything on pause. They then briefly opened the restaurant in May of 2020, but were forced shut after five tricky weeks of take-out only. Finally, after a year of hosting pop-ups and finding other ways to maintain the otherwise sealed-up space, they finally opened the beautifully designed dining room and adjacent bar to an eager public. From there, the celebratory nightlife spot persevered with humor, hustle, meaty plates, sparkling drinks and great service, and weathered what it could until it could no longer. It made its mark and will be missed. (For those concerned, The Kon-Tiki original bar at 347 14th St. in Oakland, also owned by Aivaliotis and Reagan, remains open. Whew.) Palmetto is at 1900 Telegraph Ave. in Oakland, The Kon-Tiki Room is adjacent, also at 1900 Telegraph Ave., and both will close after service on Oct. 29, so get in while the getting is good.
